Drying machine



June 24, 1930. A` D, STALEY 1,765,628

DRYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2, 1925 4Shee1',s-S1'1een l ./3 l /f/W O42.

June 24, 1930. A. D. sTALEY DRYING MACHINE Filed NOV. 2. l1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l ffl,

June 24, 1930. A, D, s TALEY 1,765,628

DRYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2. k1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 l I INVETOR June 24, 1930. A. D. STALl/EY 1,765,628

DRYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2, A1925 4f'sheets-sheet 4 gwgemoz atto: "e414 2o with gasoline or simllar liquid producing highly explosive vapors.l

' Patented June-2 4, 1930 UNiTED STATES .enonzo D. sumar, or' rrnasnii'r RIDGE, omo, Assmron 'ro THE marcan LAUNDRY cirmnn'z conm, or cnvcrmu'rr, onro,..aconronafr1qn promo This invention 'relates to drying apparatus of that type wherein fabric articles, such as of apparel, which have been subjected to immersion-in liquid cleaning solvents, are placed within a cylindrical container or oraminated surface, through which warm air is caused to pass while the container is rotated. n

The objects of my invention are improvements in such apparatus, resulting in' increased ea'se of installation and maintenance, .and increased eiciency of operation, and withal embodying vavstr'uctural superiority over what has heretofore been the. practice in the art. f

By way of illustration I have chosen to show my invention incorporated in a machine especially adaptable or drying and deodorizing clothing previously cleaned inflammable volatile For such-service the rylng air is heated but is not re-circulated as in some other instances. lProvision is madefor supplying v fresh cold air only'when desired-and the airl circulating means is placed after instead ofvbefore the cylindrical container so that the container. and mostof the air passages and chambers-are maintained somewhat be-y ,30 low ratherthanabove atmospheric pressure.

Referring to this typical apparatus shown in the drawings, Fig. lis a sectional elevation along the plane of lines I-I of Figs. 2 and 3, which are horizontalsections along the planes of lines II-II a" spectively of Fig. 1; Figra s an end view of the outlet member onf-t pparatusgg-and Fig. 5 is arearview'` of the'ap aratus' The principal cgrnponent's' o such a ldrier are a heating elenent-fconsisting of a baille of steam pipe coils 1, a cylindrical container 2 of foraminated circurriference, a centrif- 1 ugal type suction unit 3, and a suitable caslng 2a surrounding these vcomponents and including the required partitions to form the necessary air passages. The' heating coils 1 are placed Within' a heating chamber 6 which communicates at its lower end with an air inlet 5 at the rear of the apparatus and communicates atrits.

Y Appucation med November a, 1925. serial no. 66,251.'

PAT-ENT ori-ICE l Dame momma upper endwith an air passage (5"'leading to an inlet opening 7 at the top o the work receiving cylinder 2. The inlet opening 5,

the heating chamber 6, vthe air passagefj' and the inlet opening 7 areall substantially the 'same length as the cylinder 2 so that thel'lair passes through opening 7 in substantia y throughout the length of the drying cylinder, thereby enabling increased drying efects to be obtained.

The cylinder 2 is arranged to be rotated or oscillated about its axis by outside power, and is provided with a loading opening which may be brought to register with a corresponding opening in the closely surrounding casing, both of these openings being normally closed by suitable doors 2b, 2, respectively.

Diametrically opposite the inlet opening 7 is a series of outlet passages 8, 8 leading 'directly to a number of fans 3, which are the form .of fa sheet distributedV mounted in suitable spaced relation upon a shaft 9 extending parallel with the cylinder. It is evident that rotation of the fan sha-ft will create an air flow over the heating coils,`

vertically downward across the diameter of the cylinder, throu h the outlet passages 8, 8a lwithin whiclrt e fans 3 are arranged, and out of the drier through whatever passageway or passageways are provided upon the discharge side of the fans; the cylinder contents. A Y

As above mentioned the opening 7 extends als.

bstantially the full length of thecylinder so that an even distribution of air supplyis assured to all of the cylinder contents.

Above opening 7 leading to the cylinder is a'corfes'ponding lfull length opening 10 extending along the outer casing and communicating with a longitudinal air pasf sage or distributing .chamber ll'having an opening-11 to receive air froman outside source. .Axially mounted within the opening -10 is a full length valve or damper 12 operable from without the drier whereby the source of air supplied to the cylinder may be controlled; in the position shown cold outdrier and Asuitably secured to the outer cas-4 sol side air only will enter; whereas if the valve be rotated clockwise as far as possible (Fig, l) air warmedby passing over the heating coilswill enter. Intermediate `positions of the Valve will -give intermediate combinations of air.

Laterally extending across the front of the ing 29 thereof are two vertically spaced angle 'irons 13 upon which the fans are mounted,

the door portion 2O of the casing between the .angle irons being hinged at the top as shown in Fig. 1.l At the front side of the fan portions of the volute casing are cut away and the openings thus formed are closedby re.

movable hand covers 14.

Each fan proper isdivided intermediate 'its end Vby transversely extending partitions 15 fand is provided with air from passages 8, 8, one at each side, so that while air is drawn in axially from each side of the fan, it is discharged from the apparatus through a single discharge or delivery passage. As has already been shown these passages 8, 8a lead directly from suitably spaced openings below the c linder 2 to the fans, the passages being form d to correspond with the inner blade dia eter of theians.

The end passages 8' are provided with a formed curved casing section 16 which conforms with the direction of air flow therein to prevent eddy currents and air pockets,

thus reducing danger from explosion and increasing the pneumatic efiiciency. Adjacent` .whereby access to the interior of said passages may be had.

Between the fans is provided a bearing for the v.single fan shaft, adjacent fan portions being supplied with air from the middle passage 8 within which this bearing is arranged. To provide the highly necessary access to this bearing,.thefront portion 1 8 of' the casing is formed as.an easily removable cover, as shown in. Figs. 1 and 2.

By the arrangement shown, the fans, their housings, and the delivery and discharge air passages therefor may be preassembled 'and permanently mounted upon the angle irons 13 to form a rigid unit, capabl'e of being handled by itself 'during' shipment and erection of the drier.

Connected with the two discharge passages 19" leading from the fans vis a smooth walled outlet manifold member 19 which unite-s the. air passages and presents a single pletely fabricate this discharge .manifold member vllbefore assembling the drier, and in erecting the apparatus to merelyconnect the fanunit andoutlet .manifold unit vby means of clamp screws, obviously resulting in vsaving of labor. l

Fromthe foregoing it is apparent that I vhave made provision for easy access to every moving part, as well as to the interior of those'parts most liable to collect or be impaired by an accumulation of lint or small inflammable particles; and at the same time vby adding an intermediate bearing, formed sections, and provision for preassembled and permanently assembled units,"-I have greatly improved the drier structurally.

While I have described in detail my in'- vention as applied to but one type .of drying apparatus, it is apparent that-the scope of my invention is not confined 4to, the single example sel'ected, but I wishto be limited only to the spirit thereof, and therefore make the following claims.

Vhat I claim is:

1. In a machine. of the character described, a casing having a drying chamber provided with air inlet-means at the topthereof and with air outlet means at the bottom thereof, said outlet means comprising an opening at substantially each end of said chamber and an intermediate opening at substantially the middle thereof, two fans one located between each end opening and the intermediate opening, each fan having its inlet communicating with said intermediate opening and with one end opening, and a conduit discharge means communicating with the outlet of each of vsaid fans and leading to a point outside of said casing.

2. In a machine ofthe character described, a casing having a drying chamber provided with a slot-like air inlet and an opposed air outl'et and with a heating chamber having an atmospheric air inlet and anair outlet, a conduit connecting said heating and drying chambers, said drying chamber inlet, said conduit, and said heating chamber vand its inlet and outlet being coextensive in length with the drying chamber, whereby a sheetlike body of air, heated uniformly throughout its length, and of full drying chamber length enters andpassesthrough the drying chamber, said drying chamber outlet' including portionsopen at both ends and at the middle of the chamber and symmetrically disposed about its middle,`and air flow producing means communicating therewith and discharging to the. atmosphere and effective vuniformly up n the entire area of allof said openportion 1 v In testimony whereof I herebyaliixv 

